How can working with ideas of citizenship help promote gender equality? Starting from the perspective of people as citizens can enable development actors to support struggles for rights and participation for those marginalised on the basis of gender. As in the case of Naripokkho in Bangladesh, this involves re-framing citizenship rights and responsibilities to include the needs of women and to ensure their access to policy and institutions. People's understandings of citizenship differ according to context, and change through time. Concepts of membership and belonging are re-negotiated as new alliances are formed in the light of shared interests - as shown by cross-border anti-violence work in the US and Mexico.